😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,545 in Besancon versus $1,223 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,340 in Besancon versus $2,237 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,134 in Besancon versus $3,251 in Phuket.
😐Living in Besancon is roughly 26% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Besancon is 16% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Besancon
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50€14.21
$4.51฿147
265.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.0€43.90
$46.62฿1,515
9.35%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.89€8.52
$8.49฿276
16.49%
Cappuccino
$3.51€3.02
$3.08฿100
13.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28€1.96
$0.68฿22.07
235.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14€0.98
$0.36฿11.75
216.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.79€5.84
$2.43฿78.8
179.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.66€4.01
$3.63฿118
28.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Besancon
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.07€0.92
$2.19฿71.1
-51.14%
White Bread(500g)
$1.70€1.46
$1.81฿59.0
-6.08%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.93€1.66
$2.23฿72.5
-13.45%
Eggs
$3.80€3.27
$2.24฿72.7
69.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.40€14.98
$19.60฿637
-11.22%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.96€10.30
$3.72฿121
221.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.23€13.98
$13.47฿438
20.49%
Apples(1kg)
$2.82€2.42
$3.36฿109
-16.07%
Banana(1kg)
$2.08€1.79
$1.62฿52.5
28.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.26€1.95
$2.41฿78.3
-6.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.42€2.08
$1.99฿64.6
21.61%
Potato(1kg)
$2.26€1.95
$1.53฿49.76
47.71%
Onion(1kg)
$2.27€1.96
$1.45฿47.19
56.55%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.49€1.29
$1.01฿32.96
47.52%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81€0.70
$0.48฿15.73
68.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.24€12.26
$4.27฿139
233.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.04€8.65
$19.12฿621
-47.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.54€2.18
$1.84฿59.7
38.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72€1.48
$2.74฿89.1
-37.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Besancon
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.82€1.57
$1.42฿46.06
28.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$49.91€42.98
$11.72฿381
325.85%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.22€2.78
$3.00฿97.6
7.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.77€1.52
$1.05฿34.00
68.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.57€29.77
$13.90฿452
148.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.06€1.77
$1.29฿41.94
59.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.5K€32.3K
$28.0K฿911.1K
33.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.0K€33.6K
$33.5K฿1.1M
16.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Besancon
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$118€102
$122฿3,964
-3.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.04€14.67
$13.93฿453
22.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.72€31.62
$18.87฿613
94.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Besancon
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.95€32.68
$61.3฿1,992
-38.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.83€24.83
$16.84฿547
71.20%
Cinema Ticket
$10.30€8.87
$8.89฿289
15.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Besancon
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$344€296
$691฿22.5K
-50.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,172€7,037
$16.2K฿525.2K
-49.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Besancon
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.1€53.5
$57.8฿1,878
7.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.01€19.81
$35.39฿1,150
-34.98%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.6€76.3
$113฿3,685
-21.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$141€121
$83.0฿2,698
69.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Besancon
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$552€475
$607฿19.7K
-9.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$498€429
$448฿14.6K
11.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,013€872
$2,029฿66.0K
-50.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$856€737
$1,493฿48.5K
-42.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,035€2,613
$3,585฿116.5K
-15.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,495€2,148
$2,585฿84.0K
-3.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Besancon
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,204€1,898
$505฿16.4K
336.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.35
5.33
-37.15%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Besancon: June 14, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $552 in Besancon and $607 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Besancon pays 337% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $51.0 in Besancon vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $292 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Besancon vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Besancon or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Besancon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Besancon or Phuket?
Besancon pays 337% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Besancon vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $552 in Besancon versus $607 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Besancon vs Phuket?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 326% less than in Besancon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Besancon and Phuket?
Childcare runs $344 in Besancon versus $691 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Besancon or Phuket?
At $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,545 in Besancon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Besancon. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Besancon or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,223 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Besancon compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Besancon and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Besancon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.